A selfie course?

A college in London has started a course on taking selfies. Called “The art of self-portraiture,” the month-long course by City Lit is a “theory/practice introduction to photographic self-portraiture,” which will help students “improve their critical understanding of the photographic self-portrait.” An indication of how deeply technology has penetrated our lives, will this usher a positive or a negative change in the society? College students react.

Pritha Banerjee, M.A Communication and Journalism, K.C. College, Mumbai

The very idea of a selfie course makes me wonder what could be more fun than taking selfies as a part of your course.

It is really exciting to see how new media is becoming self-exploratory and making a future for students out of it.

I am a selfie addict and I think there is no harm in being positively conscious about oneself. I can't wait to see what this course will represent in the near future!

Riyas CS, B.Sc. H&HA, IHMCT, Kovalam

Since people will become more concerned about their appearances, self-objectification may become a problem. If a person wants to improve his photography skills, he can opt for several other courses at much cheaper rates.

I don’t think going to an institute, spending $200 and additional money on buying an SLR camera for a one-month course on taking selfies is a good idea.

Arun George, Christ University, Bengaluru

The fact that there is a paid course for taking selfies should tell you enough about the penetration of technology in this generation. What does it mean to have a diploma or a graduate degree in clicking pictures of oneself so that they can make their way to social platforms where your value is determined by other people?

Suraj MB, B.Tech-IT, SASTRA University, Thanjavur

It is good to see that selfies are being taken seriously. The course clearly reveals how the society has adapted to the trends and ever evolving technology. I will not be surprised if this goes on to become an art form.

Jennifer Shaheen Hussain, MA Communication, WCC, Chennai

Self-portraiture paintings date back to the 15th century. Selfies are similar to them, but created through the medium of photography. They are becoming a part of the culture of the existing as well as the upcoming generations. It is therefore essential to conduct studies about this new genre of photography to which almost all the youngsters as well as some people of the older generation are hooked to.